A major study into one of the leading causes of death among babies and pregnant women is being launched by experts in the North-East.

A major study into one of the leading causes of death among babies and pregnant women is being launched by experts in the North-East.

Pre-eclampsia is a complication of pregnancy caused by a defect in the placenta.

Responsible for the premature birth of between 7,000 and 12,000 babies a year, at its worst the condition can be fatal and is responsible for the deaths of around five pregnant women and 170 babies annually in the UK.

Now pregnant women in the North-East are being asked to take part in the country's largest-ever study into the disorder, in an effort to find a way of treating the condition.

Professor Steven Robson, consultant in foetal medicine at Newcastle's RVI, is one of the experts leading the study, along with Professor Lucilla Poston.

Prof Poston said: "This is a devastating disease, which kills thousands of pregnant women around the world and is a cause of many premature births.

"Babies born very early can suffer from respiratory problems, blindness or deafness and some will be born before 30 weeks, weighing less than 1.5kg.

"Until now we have been unable to treat this condition effectively, but this study gives us the opportunity to make a huge difference."

The first signs of pre-eclampsia are often an increase in blood pressure and the appearance of protein in the mother's urine.

Life-threatening problems can follow very quickly and with little warning, and so women are checked frequently during pregnancy. Delivery of the baby is the only cure.

The #1.3m study is funded by the Wellcome Trust and being co-ordinated by the baby charity Tommy's.

Over the next two years, midwives will recruit 2,400 women at 22 hospitals in Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Maidstone, Manchester, Oxford and London.

Those taking part will be given supplements of the C and E vitamins in an effort to determine if these antioxidants will prevent pre-eclampsia.

Professor Poston, part of Tommy's fetal and maternal health team, said finding a way of preventing pre-eclampsia could save many lives as well as dramatically reducing health costs.

"We know that pre-eclampsia leads to a deficiency in certain vitamins and believe this is the cause of the problem."

Anyone wanting further information or wanting to take part in the study should contact the research team on (0207) 960-5887.

Page 2: Fatal figures

Fatal figures

Infant deaths (d) and stillbirths (s) in 2002 where pre-eclampsia was the major cause: